What constitutes excellent teaching? To answer this question, these noted experts went straight to the thousands of teachers who have been recognized for excellence-recipients of teaching excellence awards-and asked them. Their answers, which the authors have put into context with history and research, make for a book that is as inspiring as it is informative, shedding new light on both the definable and the simply magical components of good teaching. ... Publisher description.

Drawing from an in-depth case study of the organizational climate, leadership, teaching, systems, programs, and student outcomes at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC), this book addresses questions related to the achievement of both open access and high academic standards in the community college. Chapter I presents the rationale for the study and explains the Roueche-Baker Community College Excellence Model depicting the character of MDCC. Chapter II gives a brief history of MDCC and describes the social context of the educational reform program initiated by MDCC in 1975. Chapter III outlines the reforms initiated, planned, and implemented by the MDCC staff in eight basic areas: (1) curric...

This book reports on how the Community College of Denver (CCD) (Colorado) improved the success of its students under difficult conditions. CCD is an urban community college with inadequate resources that serves diverse and at-risk students. Demographic factors are discussed, such as the fact that Denver's population decreased 5% between 1980 and 1990, while people of color rose from 33% to 39% and families with children tended to move to the suburbs or send their children to private schools. One-third of all Colorado's welfare recipients reside in Denver. The population has lower levels of education and lower salaries, and there are more people working in blue-collar and service jobs than th...

The American Association of Community Colleges commissioned this study of remedial education in community colleges as a framework for describing context, generating discussion, and encouraging improvement. The study reviews current research about open-door policies, underprepared students, faculty, and remedial programs. It also argues that changing demographics, burgeoning technologies, and a faltering public education system have led to increased illiteracy, unemployment, welfare dependency, racial tensions, crime, and other social ills. The report describes the major issues surrounding remediation in community colleges and provides the following recommendations to colleges for improving c...